Are you tired of the same old ignant party scene? Do you long for more intelligent conversation while you blast back the brew? Do you dream of the day you can spark up a bar conversation about advancements in biotech with someone who actually gets it?
We're not ashamed to say we love beer just as much as we love science, and finally, Miamians like us are getting their own night. The international pub gathering Nerd Nite is best described like TED Talks in a bar, and it's invading Shirley's at Gramps for the first time tomorrow, October 9.
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Every second Thursday of the month, Nerd Nite will unite the brainy, boozy masses under the Gramps bar roof for three brief but illuminating presentations by qualified speakers on interesting subjects. The concept lives monthly in hip cities across the U.S. and Europe, but it was only a pipe dream in the 305 until three heroes came along.
"I was living in New York, and I would go to Nerd Nites (there), but when I moved to Miami, I was really disappointed that they didn't have anything like it," says co-organizer Melissa Osorio. She contacted the main organizers who then put her in touch with Laura Chaibongsai and Nathan Laxague, two Miami-based nerds already trying to get something together.
With their powers combined, they were able to secure the Shirley's backroom at Gramps for the occasion, then reached out to Orlando's Nerd Nite for advice. The O-Town nerds hooked them up with Max Jackson, a UCF Neuroscience grad student who wowed their crowd with his talk "DIY BCI: Brain technology for everyday life."
For Thursday's kick-off event, Jackson will be joined by UM Ph.D candidate Erica Staaterman's "Mysterious sounds of marine critters," and "Words of Power" from UM classics professor John Kirby. Each talk is only ten to 15 minutes in length, and there are intermissions between so you can refill your cocktail, catch a quick Q&A, or lead your own discussion with friends and neighbors.
If this already hurts your head, don't worry! It's all in the spirit of fun, and these speakers know what they're doing. There's also a running contest with prizes to be announced for the guest who comes in the nerdiest t-shirt. Whatever the gift will be, it'll probably be geeky and awesome as hell.
"I think it's really exciting that's it's going to be here in Miami," Osorio says. "It's great to be able to bring it. Miami has clubs, which is really great, but it's also nice to have something that caters to the nerdy people in Miami where you can socialize and also learn something cool."
Nerd Nite is ages 21 and up. The event starts at 7 p.m., and cover is free. Call 786-752-6693 or visit the event on Facebook.
Follow Kat Bein on Twitter @KatSaysKill.
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